The 7 Marketing Strategies That Make All The Difference – Part I

What Determines How Successful
You Are Is Not So Much To Do With
Your Product Or Service, But Your
Marketing And Selling Skills.
Regardless of whether you sell products or services, offline, online, or a combination of both, the seven strategies I’m going to reveal in a series of email articles that you will receive over the next few weeks could substantially increase your results (providing you apply them to your business!).
Now, the first principle I’d like you to really understand and take on board is that no matter what business you are in, you are selling to the same customer as every other business – you are selling to a person.
And just as the law of gravity is constant, and applies all over the planet, so it is with human nature. The principle of persuading prospects to respond to your sales messages is subject to certain immutable laws that can be applied to any business.
Always remember that what determines how successful you will be is not so much to do with your product or service, but much more to do with your marketing and selling skills.
These strategies will work for any business, including yours, because they are based on simple underlying principles that will always be true about human nature.
Marketing Strategy #1 – It’s About Them, Not You
Have you ever been in a pub, or at a party, when you meet someone and get talking…and then they start to tell you everything about themselves?
Not just their name and what they are doing there, but the details of their latest holiday, their wonderful family, and their own experiences about anything that you might have mentioned etc. etc.
You remain polite, but you quickly find an excuse to top up your glass, or make off to the loo!
If, on the other hand, they ask you about your day, and what’s been happening in your life, or ask about your family of other areas of your life, you can’t help but open up to them, and tell them all about yourself!
So, what does this scenario mean for your business, and the way you promote yourself to your prospects?
Well, it’s absolutely critical that you recognise and understand the role that ‘ego’ plays in your marketing. Every one of your customers and prospects (and you and me) have an ego at the centre of our personality.
I may not admit it, but I’m the most interesting person in the world to me. If someone shows you an old school photo, or a holiday photo, that you know you’re in, who is the first person you look for in the picture? Yes, it’s yourself, always. It’s what drives our interests, and in most cases, our every waking thought. So, if you want to get my attention, or persuade or communicate with me in any lasting way, you have to talk to ME about ME.
Let me explain a bit more…
Take a look at this example of text that I’ve copied from a random website:
” *** Solicitors is a Hertfordshire based High Street firm with experienced staff working across the disciplines of property, family & matrimonial, corporate & commercial, civil litigation, wills, probate and trusts.
Opened in 2008 by *********** & ********* from offices in ********* we have expanded and have recently incorporated the practices of ********* in ********* enabling us to provide advice to clients across Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas.
We seek to continually improve our reputation for providing an excellent and efficient service to both individuals and local business by utilising our integrated case management system and investing in our people.”
Would you have read beyond the second or third line if you were browsing for a new solicitor to help you overcome a particular problem? I suspect you would have quickly moved on to another site!
I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s a fantastic example of how not to engage your prospects and keep them reading your message!This inward-focus, ‘we’re the greatest’ marketing is a regular occurrence, and can be found on many websites, sales letters, advertisements and direct mail. The problem is that your prospects really don’t care a jot about you, or your company.
The number one rule of effective marketing is to place yourself in the shoes of your prospect, (and into mind of your reader when writing your sales copy).
Here’s the exact same copy re-written to focus on the needs of the web site visitor, and guarantee that the prospect is glued to the message:
Are you are looking for a local solicitors
in the Hertfordshire area?Then look no further for expert problem-solving advice. You can use the services of experienced and expert staff working across the disciplines of:
Property: Learn how to minimise the costs of conveyancing, access a useful check-list to help your transaction run smoothly, or to speak to one of our Property specialists, GO HERE>>
Family & Matrimonial: For caring advice, based on years of practical experience, talk in confidence to one of our practitioners, without obligation GO HERE>>
Corporate & Commercial: For an independent perspective, and pragmatic, profit focused advice that will protect your interests, please review the profiles of our corporate specialists GO HERE>>
Civil Litigation: Before you engage any firm of solicitors to fight your case, make sure you read our FREE 7-step guide to ensure you find exactly the right practice for your needs GO HERE>>
Wills: For independent advice that will identify key issues and provide the most appropriate will for your needs, please GO HERE>>
Probate and Trusts: Learn how to avoid unnecessary tax problems, and speed up the resolution of probate
issues GO HERE>>
Can you see how this revised copy focuses on the benefits that are being offered to prospects, and provides a promise of gaining valuable information and advice that will help the prospect get the end result they are looking for?
By working WITH the ego of your customers and prospects, you’ll be able to write about the reader, demonstrate that you know how they feel, and focus on what they are concerned about. Do this, and at the very least you’ll have gained their attention and interest.
Next time I’ll send you my 2nd Marketing Strategy which is about how to get your prospects to take some action.
2 Comments
Vicky Chau
16th October 2015Great article, and the example of before and after is particularly helpful.
Amanda Armitage
21st October 2015Thank you Vicky. More on the way!